Tire and detection-alarm mechanism thereof

• US 7,938,157 B2
• Filed: 06/21/2007
• Issued: 05/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Inventors: Chen, Yun-Yen
• Primary Examiner(s): FISCHER, JUSTIN R
• Application Number:
  US11/766,681
• Publication Number:
  US 20080135147A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,419 Days
• Field of Search: 152/152.1, 152/152, 152/154.2, 152/450, 731/46
• US Class Current: 152/154.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 11/243 Tread wear sensors, e.g. electronic sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 19/00 Tyre parts or constructions not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 152/10009 Emergency
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 152/10027 with wear indicating feature
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 152/10495 Pneumatic tire or inner tube

Abstract

A detection-alarm mechanism is provided. The detection-alarm mechanism for a tire includes a sensor, an electronic processing unit, a post-processing unit and a display unit. The sensor includes a substrate disposed in the tire and at least one photoelectronic element fixed to the substrate. If the tire is cracked, light passes through the cracks and reaches the photoelectronic elements to generate signals. The electronic processing unit receives signals from the photoelectronic elements to generate wear information. The post-processing unit is disposed in a vehicle on which the tire is installed and receives wear information from the electronic processing unit. The display unit is disposed in the vehicle for presenting the wear information.

Claims

1. A tire, comprising

a main body comprising a plurality of ply layers and a plurality of rubber layers stacked in alternating order to form a main surface contacting the ground, a first lateral side, and a second lateral side;

a wheel supporting the main body;

a tap disposed on the wheel for charging air into a space formed by the wheel and the main body; and

a sensor comprising;

a substrate disposed on an interior one of the ply layers and arranged to extend around the wheel on the first lateral side; and

a plurality of photoelectronic elements fixed to the substrate and separately arranged on the first lateral side, arranged such that when the ply and rubber layers above the substrate are worn, light passes through the worn ply and rubber layers and reaches the photoelectronic elements to generate signals.

2. The tire as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensor further comprises a detection circuit to which the photoelectronic elements are connected.

3. The tire as claimed in claim 2, wherein the photoelectronic elements are parallel connected and serial connected to a passive element connected to a power supply.

4. The tire as claimed in claim 2, wherein each photoelectronic element is connected to a passive element connected to a power supply.

5. The tire as claimed in claim 4, wherein the detection circuit further comprises a multiplexer receiving signals from the photoelectronic elements.

6. The tire as claimed in claim 2, wherein the photoelectronic element is a photoresistor, a photoelectronic conductor, a photo diode, a phototransistor, a photocoupler, or a CMOS element.

7. The tire as claimed in claim 1 further comprising an electronic processing unit comprising:

a power supply circuit providing power;

a signal conversion circuit converting signals from the photoelectronic elements into control signals;

a wear estimation and calibration circuit comparing the control signals with a standard value to generate wear information;

a memory storing the wear information;

a wireless communication circuit transmitting the wear information or receiving other signals.

8. The tire as claimed in claim 7, wherein the electronic processor unit is disposed on the wheel.

9. The tire as claimed in claim 7, wherein the electronic processing unit is disposed on the tap.

10. The tire as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an electronic processing unit for processing the signals, and the electronic processing unit comprises a power supply circuit providing power charged by electromagnetic wave.

11. The tire as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a detection unit for detecting the thread pattern of the main surface of the main body.

12. The tire as claimed in claim 1, wherein the substrate extends below the main surface, and additional photoelectronic elements are fixed to the substrate and separately arranged below the main surface.

13. The tire as claimed in claim 1, wherein the substrate extends around the wheel on the second lateral surface, and additional photoelectronic elements are fixed to the substrate and separately arranged on the second lateral side.